Rail-aligning tool



May 15, 1928. 1,669,595

J. B. BRIDGES RAIL ALIGNING TOOL Filed April 30. 1927 10. v il s r w Inventor Patented May 15, 1928.

f UNITED STATES JAMES B. BRIDGES, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

RAIL-ALIGNING TOOL.

Application led April 30, 1927. Serial No. 188,020. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in tools for use in the aligning or proper gaging of tracliway rails yand aims to provide a highly novel, simple, and easily operable device wherein rails may be drawn into proper gage and there maintained until they have been permanently spiked to the rail supporting ties.

Briefly the tool consists ot' a pair of metallic st-raps equipped attheir outer ends with means for engaging the rail bases, the inner ends of the-straps being pivotally joined to a throw lever so associated with' the strap lthat when swung into one direction the rail engaging ends of the straps will be brought inwardly 'for bringing vthe rails into proper gage.

Further, means is provided for association with the clamping end of one of the straps for causing the further inward movement of that particular rail should its tread or the tread of the other rail be worn to any appreciable extent with the end in View that the treads of the rails are brought into proper gage or alignment.

The invent-ion further aims to provide a lever attachment :for the inner ends oi the straps so associated with the straps as to facilitate the inward movement of the straps with respect to each other by the actuation of the lever and this without requiring unusual strength on the part of the operator.

wWith the foregoing and other objects in View as the nature of the invention will be better understood, the same Icomprises the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more 'fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing und claimed.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views: v

Figure l isa side elevation of my improved rail aligning tool as actually associated with a pair of rails and the same being drawn inwardly to propel gage by use of the tool and there maintained so that the rails may be permanently anchored to the ties.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof. l

Figure 3 is a side elevation partially in cross section disclosing the tool per se as in extended position so as to facilitate the disposition of the rails within the opposite ends of the strap Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the in i ner end ol one of the strap members, and

Figure 5 is a perspective of one ot the filler plates for use in association with the rail engaging end olf one of the straps so that that particular rail may be moved'inwardly to a greatervextent in the event its tread has become worn with the end in view that the treads of the rails will be disposed at the proper gage.

Now having particular reference to the drawing, my novel tool consists of a pair of metallic straps 5 and 6, the outer end of each ot" which is twisted at right angles to the inner end so that said outer end will assume a flat-like position 'for engagement beneath the base of the particular rail A. Furthermore the extreme end of each strap is turned over to provide a hook 7 tor engagement with the outer edge of the particular rail as clearly disclosed in Figures l and 2.` Pivoted to each strap in spaced relation with the hooked end 7 thereof is a clamp plate 8, the outer end of which is bent slightly upwardly as at 9 for .engagement over the inner kedge of the base of the particular rail A, the inner end of each plate being turned upwardly to providean ear l0 so that the plate may be forcibly swung upon its pivot by hammer or other tool during the engagement or release of they plate from the rail. Furthermore, the inner end oit each plate 8 is formed with an opening to register with an opening in the metallic strap when the plate has been swung into rail engaging` position in order that it may be locked to the metallic strap by reason of a pin 11 that is attached to its particular strap by a chainl.

As more clearly disclosed in Figure l, the clamp plate 8 of the metallic strap 6 is spaced a greater distance from the hooked end 7 of the particular strap than is the plate 8 of the other strap 5. Should the tread of this strap engaging rail be worn at its inner surface, a iller plate 18, see Figure 5, is arranged between outer edge of the rail and the hook 7 after which the clamping plate 8 'is swung into engagement with the rail with the end 1n view that when the metallic straps are drawn together in a manner hereinafter described, the tread of that particular rail will be moved in to a greater extent than the -tread of the other rail so as to produce the proper gage or alignment. Should the tread be unworn7 similar plates 13 are disposed at opposite edges of the rail hase so that no tturther 'movement of that particular rail will Ahe brought about 'than the movement of the other rail. As disclosed in Figure 5 this plate lliis formedeentrally with a notch 14 so that the ends thereof may enga-ge at opposite ends of the hook :7 eso U as to prevent the movement of the iller plate. Furthermore, *the Width of these plates may he of predetermined area so as to compensate "For the degreeot weer of lthe rail treads. i i l The inner ends-df the straps 5 `and .6 -are llient upwardly to `provide ears `25 and G,"the *upper ends ol these ears being Aformed with circnlariopenings so as to tacilitateltihe :piv-

rotalattachment of the inner end a throw "lever l5 thereto. "The inner lface ot tthen-ear -6 of the strap G is formed with a circular boss 16 for engagingthe innerI 'edge of the vear 5i with 'the end in view of Itakingilthe sltrainoil2 ot' the pivotaheonneetions 'between the lever l5 and-the earsnndl. u

Obviously when the llas-es oia `ftheY rails A-A have been "rigidlj-,f secured Within fthe entlsof the strapsl.) and 6, \vhich straps are in outwardly extended posrtlon as `indicated 41n Figure 3, a th-rowlngo'tthe lever-llfover into 'the position disclosed in Figures land 2 will `dra'rw "the 'straps `inwardly .into ithe position in said Figures liandfQ orsecuring the railsin iproper gage so loilaeilitdte lhe rigid spiking o'i' tl'iesaime to theties-after which the'utool may be removed. Y

Llt wil'lthus he seen that"2l have provided a ihighly novel, simple and efficient frail 'aligning tool `that is jwell adapted Aorall the purposes heretofore designated and even .though I have herein shown and described the :invention iasfeonsistmg df 'certain detail structural elements '1t is inevertheless to be understood that some changes may be made therein -Withoutxafecting the spirit and scopel the invention, what thereo'f, ifiller plates `Jfor fdisposition `dlong 'one-0r botlredges of one otthe rails'between the iholr and clamp plate dtonelo't the straps and means -`interconneeting Ithe inner 'ends of the straps yso as frto facilitate *the drawing otthelsanie together. i

2. In a `rail alignngftool otthe-eharacter described, pair of Lmetallic straps jof :pre-

determined length, means jat ithe louter lends` for the `straps lor engaging the `*treads ol a :pair `of `spaced 1rails, Lupwardly `extending ears `upon the inner ends orf lthe straps, 'a throw lever prvoted at ats Llowerend Ito-the @upper lends of the ears, :and l`avcireular boss =upon the inner face offoneleflthe ears surIVA Jrounding its pivotal -lconneetion 'with "the "lever forengaging theadjacentedge of'tlie 'other eax" when the lever vis thrown to idra-w vthe straps itogether at which point 'the -ears "avi-ll overlap. so that the strain vvill` Ihe *removed from the ,pivotalr'eonneeti ons hetween 4the ears land the lever.

In ltestimony whereof fl aliix my signature. 

